This book is an introduction to Human Development Technology. The book Functional Development by the same author needs to be read beforehand to ensure familiarity with many of the concepts and processes described.

The aim of this book is to provide a solid foundation in the understanding and application of HDT, using EmotFit as a practical implementation of it. It is intended for:

• individuals who wish to use HDT to further their own development
• professionals in health, education or corrections who wish to use the techniques in their own area of expertise

Human Development Technology consists of methods that can be used to enhance functional development, especially core functionality.

It is not a new theoretical perspective, but involves activities which people do in order to undergo personal change.

Human Development Technology is a new practice with a great future. Within a few decades it is envisioned that it will be an integral and important part of society and used in many areas of society to help people to change/develop functionality and to grow new functionality.

Human Development Technology refers to techniques that are designed to help people to increase their developmental potential, or what they are capable of doing. (Developmental potential is directly related to core functionality.)

Such technology does not produce tangible objects fashioned from the environment such as is usually associated with the term technology.

The Oxford Dictionary defines technology as follows:

1. the scientific study of the mechanical arts and applied sciences.
2. these subjects, their practical application in industry etc.

The human body is a mechanical system and the brain which is at the center of its operation, is part of that system. The implementation of the software (learning) and the construction of the hardware (brain, muscle and nerve development) occur over the duration of more than one decade. In the West, developing and learning how to operate such a complex system involves two or more decades of human upbringing and education. The aim of human development technology is to improve understanding of this process and develop systems which:

1. enhance the potential that people are able to achieve
2. reduce the effect of inherited cycles of behaviour (inherited=genetic+environmental influences)
3. reduce the effects of psychological disorder

Technology is associated with objects created by humans from the physical environment. We are used to being able to buy technological items and, after a small amount of training (or more for cars and computers), be able to use them. Buying technology may be easy and quick but the ability to create the technology in the first place requires considerable time and ingenuity, not to mention a certain level of social and industrial evolution.

With respect to technology we need to distinguish between:

1. The products of technology eg: cars, cell phones, CDs
2. The ability to create technology: knowledge, learning institutions, manufacturing plants, industries, raw materials, population base, guts and determination etc.

Applying the same principles to human development consider the following:

1. The products of human development that we can buy are competent employees/contractors with specific skills, school education, university degrees,songs, movies, etc
2. The ability to create those products comes from upbringing, experience, knowledge, research, exploration, hard work, guts and determination etc. To this can be added HDT programmes which can be used to enhance the developmental potential of the population.

For many human ability is considered to be God given, genetic, or happen chance. Human Development Technology sets out to lay the ground work for reducing the effect of those factors in the equation and making human ability and potential something that is available to anyone who seeks it.

Human Development Technology involves:

• Systematic knowledge
• Training: theory and practice
• Measurable Outcomes

Systematic Knowledge
Ordered knowledge systems have the benefit of being easily transferable from person to person. Use of universal principles such as that embodied in western science helps make knowledge understandable by many. Human Development Technology belongs to the relatively new discipline of Psychology which now has solid grounding in Western knowledge systems.

Training: theory and practice
This involves

1. Setting up training insitutions whose sole purpose is to train people to develop their potential, such as SOHTech.
2. Developing courses and practical exercises
3. Developing and researching theory and practice using recognized techniques.

Ultimately at the end of the day, HDT programmes will need to show measurable improvements in overall human potential, incidence/treatment of psychological disorder or reduction in the effect of cycles of behaviour.

The following are some ready made human development technologies that many will be familiar with.

Yoga

The best example is the ancient technique of yoga. This involves developing the use of the body in order to help improve the performance of the mind. It is not done for sport or necessarily for spiritual enlightenment, but to improve the functioning of mind and body.

Tai Chi

Like yoga, tai chi is practised mainly for its health benefits rather than for any spiritual or concrete outcome.

Alexander Technique and Feldenkrais

These are two European techniques developed by individuals and based on different premises.

There are probably many activities that can be counted as human development technologies, but the above are significant in that they have no underlying purpose. Martial arts, weightlifting, and sport all develop the mind and body, however they are focused around particular goals and requirements of winning or losing or of having particular skills which distract from the task of developing potential or improving core functionality. Rather than focus on functionality that is already present, human development technology is designed to improve functionality.

Research and development of Human Development Technologies would mean that a discipline like yoga would be analyzed and understood better, then developed into new and multiple forms with specific goals in mind. The result would be many specially designed technologies like the following:

EmotFit emotional fitness programme

This is an integrated programme, consisting of modules involving several different activities, and probably the best example of HDT that we can use since it has been specifically designed to help enhance functionality.

HDT is dependent on its effectivenss on the following factors:

Age

After about the age of 35 bone and cartilage begin to harden. Since functionality is held in place by ligaments and cartiliginous material between the bones, it becomes increasingly harder with age to change the way they operate and to redevelop core functionality. Older people would need to lower their expectations of what they hope to gain from it.

Active Involvement

Effectiveness is dependent on the level of active involvement and level of motivation for change. Active involvement might be affected by medication, drug/alcohol habits, personal trauma or some other factor, in which case effectiveness might be reduced but not eliminated.